An assortment of dips and chips is an easy way to satisfy company. Homemade bagel and pita chips are a lighter alternative to the store-bought variety. And vegetables are even lighter and good for you. Give them a try!
Once I go to the trouble to get my big food processor out—I want to process everything. It is very satisfying to throw in several ingredients and press the ON button. The machine does the rest.
I feel like an accomplished cook when I spoon out the beautifully mixed concoction.
Here are three easy recipes that are made in the food processor. They can be made in advance and served in a variety of ways.
This first recipe is ideal for the winter months when fresh basil is not in season. Fresh spinach is an easy, less expensive substitute.
Store the Spinach-Pesto Dip in the refrigerator for up to three days. It makes a great snack on a cracker, and a delicious sauce tossed on warm pasta.
Spinach-Pesto Dip
Makes 1 ½ cups
3 cups fresh spinach, packed tightly
1 cup fresh basil
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 ¾-ounce jar pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon pepper
Salt to taste
Garnish with cherry tomato halves, optional
Place all ingredients into a food processor; pulse until creamy. Serve with pita chips or assorted raw vegetables. It also can be tossed with any warm pasta.
Learn from Leslie: To toast pine nuts simply place them in an ungreased, nonstick skillet. Toss them around for a couple of minutes on medium to medium-high heat. Remove and allow to cool.
Ditalini pasta is a great choice for this pesto. It coats evenly and is easy to eat. Garnish with cherry tomatoes, if desired.Top with a little Parmesan “protein” and enjoy as a satisfying lunch. Serve with grilled chicken for an easy supper. Your vegetable is included!
Jalapeño-Artichoke Dip
Makes 2 ½ cups
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
1/3 cup jalapeño slices (pickled style in jar), plus extra for garnish
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons juice from jalapeño slices
Juice of 1 lemon
Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor; pulse until creamy. Serve with crackers. This dip also makes a yummy toasted crostini.
Spread the Jalapeño-Artichoke Dip onto French bread slices, top with extra grated Monterey Jack cheese, and broil. Garnish with a jalapeño slice. This is a quick hot appetizer that easily can be passed.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Makes 4 to 5 cups
1 (29-ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers in water, drained
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)
¼ cup tahini (well stirred)
1 garlic clove
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Garnish with toasted pine nuts, optional
Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until creamy.
Serve with homemade bagel or pita chips or assorted vegetables.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus tastes great in a crisp piece of celery or as a mayonnaise substitute on your favorite sandwich.
If you are trying to cut back on extra salt and fat but still crave the crunch of chips, here is an easy solution without sacrificing flavor.
Make your own flavorful and lower sodium bagel chips. Slice your favorite bagel flavors into ¼-inch rounds. Spray with butter-flavored cooking spray, then sprinkle with Salt-Free Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, or sesame seeds. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown and crisp.Store in an airtight container. Assorted bagels from Crestline Bagel Company, crestlinebagel.comI would love to hear from you. Don’t be shy about making comments or asking questions. I love getting mail! Leslie
I’m always torn when it comes to going out to dinner on Valentine’s, or staying in and cooking a special meal. I prefer the unabbreviated menu at my favorite restaurants, and some limit your choices that evening.
When making a list of pros and cons, it is an even tie. So, here is a wonderful, yummy option for you and your entire family if you find yourself at home this year.
Either way it’s a win-win!Artwork by my mother, Alice. It was her test run before she hit the canvas. It’s such a treasure!
V is not just for Valentine’s.
One pro of eating in, you can really splurge on the Champagne. veuveclicquot.comFamily style never looked so inviting. Baking dish by Revol, The Cupboard, shopthecupboard.com
Foolproof Baked Shrimp over Pasta
Serves 4 to 6
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup chopped parsley
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
½ cup Parmesan, freshly grated
8 ounces of thin spaghetti, cooked
Hot French bread
It takes only a few minutes to get the ingredients prepped, especially if you find the medium-size shrimp already peeled and deveined.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Place shrimp in a medium-size bowl. Combine next 4 ingredients in a small bowl; pour over shrimp, and toss to coat.
Evenly arrange shrimp in a single layer in a 2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven, turn shrimp over, and drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with Panko and Parmesan cheese.
Here is what the shrimp mixture will look like before you cover with foil.
Bake uncovered 10 to 15 more minutes. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes for a browner top, if desired. Serve over pasta family style with French bread.
You will not want to be more than an arm’s reach of this baking dish!
Learn from Leslie: Be sure to have lots of hot, crusty French bread. The dipping in the butter and juices is the best part! Serve with a simple green vegetable or salad.
Growing up, Valentine’s Day was one of my favorite holidays. And it still is! China: ‘Rothschild Bird’ by Herend, herendusa.com; Sterling silver: ‘Lily’ by Gorham, lifetimesterling.com
For the Kids
Let’s be honest, when you are making sugar cookies all you really want to do is decorate them. Why waste time making them from scratch, letting the dough chill, and prolonging the fun.
The secret is out—Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix. Simply add 1 stick of butter, 1 egg, and 3 tablespoons of flour for cookie-cutter style. It is easy as pie. No sticking to the counter or rolling pin. bettycrocker.com
Three-Ingredient Icing
Powdered sugar
Whole milk
Food coloring
Place powdered sugar in a small bowl or ramekin. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency. Go slowly! It does not take much. Use food coloring to make as many colors as you would like. Ice cookies and decorate with sprinkles. Allow to dry completely.
It doesn’t take but a few sprinkles to make these special.My favorite sprinkles are made especially for Williams-Sonoma by Beautiful Briny Sea, Super Amazing Dessert Sprinkle Mix, $19.95 (15-ounce) jar, Williams-Sonoma, williams-somoma.com
Hopes and Dreams Garland Kit
Another clever idea to entertain the kids, or adults for that matter, is this ribbon garland kit from Stellar, a cute tweens shop, in Rosemary Beach, Florida. I actually brought this to my daughter Sallie as a gift, but couldn’t wait to do it myself!
The kit includes a colorful 5-foot rope and lots of precut ribbon pieces. Stellar, Rosemary Beach, Florida, $25, 850/231-0110, gigistellartweens.comThe perfect rainy-day project.
The “icing on the cookie” is a coffee bar full of miniatures.
Valentine’s Coffee Bar
To top off the evening, set up a coffee bar for the adults. There is no need to buy large bottles of different liquors—pick up an assortment of miniatures and place them in a cute basket. It feels as special as getting the mini jelly from a room service tray. Serve with whipped cream and, of course, the cookies!
Irish Coffee anyone?It’s like passing the bread basket at dinner!Let the kids pass the cookies.As much as I love to cook, I’m a prop stylist at heart. I love a collection of pretty things. As I always used to say when I worked at Southern Living…
Pretty things make pretty pictures.
I would love to hear from you. Don’t be shy about making comments or asking questions. I love getting mail! Leslie
One bunch of grocery store roses and a couple bags of red lentils”
Sometimes when you are doing a floral arrangement, you have your heart set on a certain flower, and you go to the store and they don’t have anything even close to what you were imagining. That’s when the fun starts.
There are no boundaries when you are playing with flowers. The world is your oyster.
In my opinion, a mass of any color or flower is usually more effective than a mixture—although I like to change it up sometimes.
When I saw these coral sweetheart roses at the grocery store floral department, I instantly thought of red lentils. That’s how my mind works. Not only were the lentils a similar color, but also they would serve as an anchor for my vases in the container for easy, painless transportation.
Gathering your provisions is half the fun.Lentils are found in the grocery store aisle with the other dried beans.Look for containers with dual purposes like this basket-like shape.Miniature old-fashioned milk bottles filled with water are the vases for the roses. They easily nestle into the bed of lentils for stability.
I took this arrangement to a birthday dinner last spring. It’s nice to take flowers to a restaurant for a special occasion if they are compact and don’t interfere with the service. It instantly creates a homey feel at the table. I usually try to drop them off late that afternoon, while the tables are being set, to avoid any confusion and simplify my arrival at dinnertime.
The galvanized container and bottles are from Oak Street Garden Shop, oakstreetgardenshop.com
Don’t be afraid to put any combination together. You are the floral designer.
Now what to do with the leftover lentils after the flowers are gone?
Lentils cook quickly and make a healthy, light lunch or simple supper in a stew.
Leslie’s Leftover Lentil Stew
Makes 2 1/2 quarts
2 cups lentils
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 celery ribs sliced diagonally
4 to 5 cloves garlic
2 (14.5-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Dash of hot sauce
Rinse lentils in a bowl until the water is no longer cloudy. It may take a few times. Place 2 cups of lentils in a medium saucepan; add 4 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 20 minutes until beans are tender. They will open up a little bit.
While they are cooking, sauté onion, celery, and garlic in olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Cook for about 5 minutes or until tender and onions are translucent.
Drain the lentils; add them to the onions, celery, and garlic. Add the chicken broth, and remaining ingredients. Simmer for one hour. Serve with crackers or hot French bread.
A cold week is like a rainy day you desperately need to get your life back together. You will feel organized by Friday if you check these all off your list.
Arctic Blast Activities
Write your holiday thank-you notes. Yes, that never goes out of style.
Clean out the cluttered drawers around your house.
Set up a card table for a puzzle or a craft project.
Put away all the straggling Christmas gifts and decorations.
Fill in all upcoming activities, trips, etc. on a 2018 calendar.
Buy a new houseplant to perk up a corner or coffee table.
Start a new exercise class; change it up.
Plan a spring party.
Try a new recipe.
Make a batch of Freezer Pizza Crusts (page 180, see Leslie’s Party Diaries)
One batch makes 12 healthy, thin pizza crusts. They are a crowd-pleaser!
Happy New Year!
Coming up in the next few weeks, Favorite Weeknight Meals, Breakfast for Dinner, Super Bowl Supper ideas, Knife-and-Fork Sandwiches, and more! Be sure to subscribe to dearpartydiary.com. I may sneak a few posts in just for those special folks who do.
Also, be sure to subscribe or pick up a copy of Birmingham Home and Garden magazine, birminghamhomeandgarden.com. My first food column is out now in the January/February issue.
I would love to hear from you. Don’t be shy about making comments or asking questions. I love getting mail! Leslie
Have you ever felt like you are attached to your oven with a ball and chain during a party? With that in mind, menu planning can be more important than you think. Below is an actual schedule that my friend Cindy had on her counter during her last dinner party. I asked her if I could keep it. I have very few friends who could pull this evening off, Cindy being one of them. She did it beautifully. This is easily doable if your menu is carefully planned from the start.
Cindy’s timing cheat sheet from her dinner party. Can you imagine keeping up with this and talking to your guests?
When hosting a dinner party, use all your cooking resources. Spread out the cooking—to the grill, stovetop, and oven or ovens. Make something ahead such as a salad. Have it ready to go in the serving bowl you plan to use in the refrigerator. You will be thanking yourself when the entire party is standing in the kitchen in your “cooking triangle”—which is now referred to as The Devil’s Triangle.
On one of those nights where the menu is complicated, I try to do a simple appetizer. One of my favorite Emergency Appetizers is as easy as putting out a bowl of pistachios. Not only will they hold your guests over until dinnertime, they are now entertaining themselves. How about that? I put out two attractive matching bowls and that’s it. Jon usually gives them a test run, like leaving a used toothpick in a bowl to show guests what to do.
Appetizer, check!Be on the lookout for a pair of matching bowls.Garden shops are a great source for serving pieces. These bowls are from Oak Street Garden Shop at oakstreetgardenshop.com.
The Star of the Show
This is the first time I can remember in a long time not being with my sister, Beth, on Thanksgiving. I’m going to miss her and our dressing bake-off.
First of all I have to say this is not an exact science—well, for me that is. It is kind of feel and taste as you go. But it has never seemed to disappoint anyone at the Thanksgiving table.
Mama Lil’s Thanksgiving Dressing
Makes 3 quarts
1 cup butter
1 ½ cups celery, finely chopped
¾ cup onion, finely chopped
2 (9-inch) pans of cornbread, crumbled (Leslie’s Tried-and-True Cornbread), see page 179, Leslie’s Party Diaries
3 to 4 biscuits, crumbled
1 to 2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground sage
1 teaspoon pepper
Poultry seasoning to taste
A pinch of thyme and marjoram (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
3 to 4 cups warm chicken broth
Melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté celery and onion until translucent, for about 5 to 7 minutes.
Making dressing is therapeutic to me. I love the aroma of celery and onions cooking in butter.
Add cornbread and biscuit crumbs and next 5 ingredients. (This is the point where I like to taste the mixture for flavor, before the eggs and broth are added.)
Stir in eggs. Gradually add chicken broth, 1 cup at a time. You may not need it all, so go slowly. And, on the other hand, you may need more. So be prepared. (When the mixture is in the baking dish it should easily jiggle, but not slosh.) Pour into a buttered 3-quart baking dish.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and thoroughly heated.
2 (9-inch) pans of cornbread, crumbled (Leslie’s Tried-and-True Cornbread), see page 179, Leslie’s Party Diaries
3 to 4 biscuits, crumbled
1 to 2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground sage
1 teaspoon pepper
Poultry seasoning to taste
A pinch of thyme and marjoram (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
3 to 4 cups warm chicken broth
Instructions
Melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté celery and onion until translucent, for about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add cornbread and biscuit crumbs and next 5 ingredients. (This is the point where I like to taste the mixture for flavor, before the eggs and broth are added.)
Stir in eggs. Gradually add chicken broth, 1 cup at a time. You may not need it all, so go slowly. And, on the other hand, you may need more. So be prepared. (When the mixture is in the baking dish it should easily jiggle, but not slosh.) Pour into a buttered 3-quart baking dish.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and thoroughly heated.
Leave it to my mother to have a china pattern called “Mayflower”. We eat on it every year.
Coming up in the next few posts, easy-to-eat holiday appetizers, food gifts with packaging, and some very interesting cocktails. You don’t want to miss. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and most of all, safe travels.
I would love to hear from you. Don’t be shy about making comments or asking questions. I love getting mail! Leslie
My friend Elizabeth introduced me to a green bean bundle over 25 years ago. I’m not sure where she got the recipe, but it is still one I love to serve my guests to this day. It is often even requested—and yes, I’m talking about you, David Fullington.
It takes only a few minutes to wrap these cute bundles.
When purchasing the green beans, I usually buy an extra can or two. You’ll see what I mean when you get in to this one. (And, no, these are not in the “organic” section of your grocery store—try looking on the vegetable can goods aisle.) Over the past few years the whole green beans seem to be getting shorter and shorter. So you will need to pick through and find the longest ones in order to make presentable bundles.
Green Bean Bundles
Serves 4 to 6
2 (14.5-ounce) cans whole green beans, drained
4 slices thinly sliced bacon, cut in half
Toothpicks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons grated onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Drain green beans in a colander. Sort through the beans, and gather 8 to 10 beans; wrap the bundle with ½ slice of bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Place into a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Repeat with the remainder of the beans and bacon.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep warm.
Bake green bean bundles for 40 to 45 minutes until bacon is nicely browned. Pour warm dressing over bundles, and serve immediately.
Learn from Leslie: The bean bundles can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated.
Leslie Likes: Del Monte Blue Lake Whole Green Beans
The dressing will sizzle when poured over bundles hot out of the oven. Serve immediately. Pottery by Earthborn Pottery at earthbornpottery.netI love the combination of the bacon and the vinegar dressing. It melts in your mouth.
When I first saw this stalk of Brussels at Trader Joe’s, I couldn’t wait to wrap some bacon around it. I loved the fact that it did not have brown-tipped stems and ugly outer leaves that needed to be removed. It was as fresh as you can get.
It was tagged like a cow’s ear with a recipe suggestion. The first step read to place the stalk in the microwave. Yeah, right!? Believe it or not, it DID fit in my microwave but the turntable jammed and it would not spin. Needless to say, I skipped that step, their entire recipe, and did my own thing. So here it goes.
Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts
Serves EVERYONE (I promise)
1 whole Brussels stalk
5 to 6 pieces of applewood smoked bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse stalk and pat dry with a paper towel. Lightly grease a large baking sheet or roasting pan. Wrap bacon slices around the stalk, weaving it around the Brussels until it is secure. Place on baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Weave the bacon slices around the stalk, tucking it securely into the nooks and crannies around the sprouts.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting with drippings from the pan after 30 minutes. Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the size of the stalk.
Remove from the oven, and check the sprouts for tenderness with the tines of a fork.
Serve on a cutting board with a knife and fork. Let everyone carve their own.
Any leftovers can be removed from the stalk and stored in the refrigerator; they reheat nicely. Cut the bacon slices into smaller pieces to serve along with the Brussels sprouts.
Learn from Leslie: If you think you want to cook only half of the stalk, think again. My sharpest chef knife did not faze this stalk (until it was cooked)—so it’s all or nothing!
“Useful” Thanksgiving Hostess Gifts
In the back of my book, Leslie’s Party Diaries, there is an Extras chapter. It has a section called Useful Hostess Gifts. These are items that someone really needs and hopefully wants to receive as a hostess gift. Here are a few more ideas for Thanksgiving weekend to take to your friends or family.
Leslie’s Party Diaries—a cookbook is always welcome to those who enjoy cooking. $39 plus tax and shipping while supplies last. Available at lesliespartydiaries.com and dearpartydiary.com.
Filled with many family favorites, Leslie’s Party Diaries is the perfect hostess gift for the holidays. Well, I am a little biased.It’s the thought that counts. Say thanks with a custom gift tag from Say Grace Papergoods; contact Gina Winn at 205.329.4097, Instagram @mamawinn4.
Planet-Friendly Paper Plates—these will come in super handy for the turkey sandwiches and all the fixings the next day. They are sturdy, attractive, and can be tossed. Do you really want to unload the dishwasher again?
Unloading the dishwasher is one of my least favorite chores in the kitchen. Any hostess will welcome these sturdy, biodegradable, attractive paper plates. (10-inch plates, 25-pack, $19.99) Available at Amazon.com. (Prime)
Williams-Sonoma Turkey Gravy Base—Be the GRAVY SUPER HERO this Thanksgiving. This gift is not meant to insult the host but to be “backup” if the main batch gets gobbled up on Thanksgiving Day. However, I’ve seen the most experienced cooks second-guess the gravy procedure. This base takes the guesswork out of what can be a tricky, last-minute necessity.
Equal parts of this turkey base and milk make a delicious, effortless gravy. It can also be “doctored” with pan drippings and homemade broth if desired. It’s nice to have extra for the leftovers too. Available at Williams-Sonoma for $12.95, williams-sonoma.com
Williams-Sonoma Mulling Spices—I call it THANKSGIVING IN A JAR. Go ahead and pick up one or two of these for yourself too while you are there. Your entire house will smell like Thanksgiving when you have this simmering on the stove. It moves into the holiday season well too.
Mulling Spices available at Williams-Sonoma for $12.95, williams-sonoma.comA tablespoon or two is all you will need in a small saucepan of water. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Refill water as needed.
Party Tip: Stock Up For the Holidays
My husband, Jon, is the “Costco King”—he can do the run in under an hour, door to door, and it’s not even close to our house. In fact, he could give lessons on how to shop in bulk efficiently and effectively. He has it down to a science—down to filling up the car on the way out of the parking lot. Follow his lead and you’ll never dread going again.
If you have a Fitbit or other tracking device, put it on before you enter the store. You are multitasking here. Count your steps.
Have a list—DO NOT WAVER FROM THE LIST. (Costco does not take Amex anymore, so you won’t even get points for all those extra items.) So won’t be tempted.
Know your storage and consumption limitations—don’t let your eyes get bigger than your stomach. Check expiration dates and do the math. (For example: Is it possible to eat 72 Nature Valley bars in 14 days?)
Don’t let your husband go alone, unless he is like Jon.
I don’t mind serving the same meats or mains over and over again, but when it comes to the side dishes, I like to change it up a bit. Here are two of my most recent favorite side dishes. Both are simple and impressive—with five ingredients or fewer.
These Hasselback-style potatoes are a Swedish version of a roasted potato. It takes its name from the Hasselbacken Hotel Restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden. The name makes me think of David Hasselhoff—from Baywatch—I can’t help it! It’s silly, I know.
Baywatch Potatoes
Serves 6
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced Hasselback style as directed below
Kosher salt
Toppings: sour cream and chives
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Melt butter in a small microwaveable bowl; stir in olive oil. Set aside.
Place potatoes, one by one, in the bowl of a serving spoon, slicing in 1/8th of an inch increments, stopping when knife hits the spoon. (The spoon prevents the knife blade from going completely through the potato—leaving it intact at the base.)
The metal of the spoon prevents any slipups with the knife.
Brush a 2-quart baking dish with the melted butter mixture. Place sliced potatoes in the baking dish. With a basting brush, brush the potatoes with the butter mixture; sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Bake for 30 minutes; remove from oven, and baste with remaining butter mixture. Return to the oven for an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until brown and crispy. The baking time may vary slightly, depending on the size of your potatoes.
Brush the potatoes with butter and olive oil mixture before baking; sprinkle generously with kosher salt.The potatoes should be the size of a large egg.
6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced Hasselback style as directed below
Kosher salt
Toppings: sour cream and chives
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Melt butter in a small microwaveable bowl; stir in olive oil. Set aside.
Place potatoes, one by one, in the bowl of a serving spoon, slicing in 1/8th of an inch increments, stopping when knife hits the spoon. (The spoon prevents the knife blade from going completely through the potato—leaving it intact at the base.)
Brush a 2-quart baking dish with the melted butter mixture.
Place sliced potatoes in the baking dish.
With a basting brush, brush the potatoes with the butter mixture; sprinkle generously with kosher salt.
Bake for 30 minutes; remove from oven, and baste with remaining butter mixture.
Return to the oven for an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until brown and crispy.
These are delicious with a steak dinner. Depending on the size of the potato, allow 1 to 2 per person. Pottery by earthbornpottery.net.
Both of these beautiful and tasty sides are even more attractive because they don’t break the piggy bank.
I like to think of the overall look of the recipes on the dinner plate. The Blistered Tomatoes are a nice, colorful addition to a plate of mostly brown food.
How cute are these?Simple ingredients make this recipe a snap.
Blistered Tomatoes
Serves 3 to 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups (1 pint) of cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh basil
Balsamic glaze, to drizzle
Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
In a heavy skillet (I use my cast iron), heat olive oil to medium-high. Add tomatoes to hot oil, and jiggle often. After about 5 minutes the tomatoes will begin to shrivel.
To stir, simply jiggle.
Continue to cook 5 more minutes or until some of the tomatoes begin to pop open.
Drizzle with balsamic glaze, and top with fresh chopped basil. I serve this right out of the cast-iron skillet.I like the thickness and richness of the balsamic glaze, but a good quality balsamic vinegar can be substituted.Balsamic Glaze is available at most grocery stores; look for it with the vinegars.
Learn from Leslie: If you have any leftovers, the tomatoes are a treat to serve over pasta.
Fresh fruits and flowers set the tone for this colorful event.
Nothing says party more than a chilled bottle of Champagne. During football season, Thanksgiving weekend, or anytime during the holidays, take time to set up an attractive mimosa bar. Start with a decorative tray and a variety of fresh juices, such as orange, pineapple, and cranberry, and of course, ice-cold Champagne. For those less festive folks, throw out a bottle of vodka.
A little humor never hurt anything.
A quick and easy appetizer to serve with a mimosa bar is Parmesan-Parsley Popcorn—which falls into my Emergency Appetizer recipe category. I always have these ingredients on hand. I love to serve such a simple nibble in an interesting container. It changes everything.
Even though I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life, I am somehow obsessed with vintage ashtrays. Certain things jump out at you and there is no explanation—other than there is a sense of nostalgia to them. I feel they will soon be extinct.
Be on the lookout for unusual serving pieces like these vintage treasures.
A large vintage ashtray is the ideal size and shape for a snack like this popcorn, and it’s always good to do something unexpected. The best compliment you can get after a party is for one of your guests to tell a friend what you did. Give them something to talk about.
One bag of microwave popcorn, tossed with Parmesan and then topped with chopped parsley. Impressive, huh?Buttery saltines are always a crowd-pleaser; add a seasoning salt and they are over the top. Next time you have last-minute company, try Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend on top of saltines dipped in melted butter. Bake for 25 minutes at 275 degrees. (Bake on a rack on top of a cookie sheet.)This blend of sesame and poppy seeds, sea salt, garlic, and onion is not just for bagels anymore.The buttered saltines will get extra crispy baking on a rack instead of directly on the baking sheet. Find one that fits comfortably on top of your baking sheet.And another really easy Emergency Appetizer is making a mad dash to the “olive garden” bar at your local grocery store. Spoon up a container of specialty olives, add a fancy lemon curl on top, and you are done. Voilà!
Somewhere near the ashtrays at most flea markets are the vintage ice trays—soon to be extinct too, thanks to modern-day ice machines. Look for an interesting ice tray shape, like this honeycomb-shaped one, to make a specialty cube to add to the bar. Pineapple juice freezes beautifully, and a cube of it will add a fresh taste to many of your concoctions without watering it down. Cranberry is a good choice too.
Small cubes are perfect for a skinny Champagne flute.Cranberry juice frozen in a unique ice-cube tray almost looks like fruit when dropped into a glass of Champagne. It flavors as it melts. It’s a two-for-one special.
When time allows, order funny, printed cocktail napkins or interesting, custom cocktail stirrers.
Custom stirrers are available from Etsy at etsy.com/shop/FranJohnsonHouse.How special are these stirrers?
Take advantage of fresh fruits and use them as a container for your garnishes, as I did here with the fresh pineapple. I simply cut a fresh pineapple in half, hollowed out the fruit from one side, and reserved the rest for garnish. You now have a beautiful bowl—that doesn’t need washing at the end of the night.
Decorate the bar with a pineapple bowl filled with the mimosa garnishes.
If hosting a special occasion with an honored guest, save one of the Champagne corks, place it in a mini glass shadow box, and let it be his or her party favor to remember the event. It will make the perfect keepsake. I buy these by the dozen—they come in handy for wine corks too. Thanks, Elizabeth, for sharing this idea with me years ago. (I have one sitting on my coffee table now that she gave me from our wedding.) It’s a thoughtful, easy gift. Your guests will be impressed.
This keepsake Cork Holder can be ordered from Mercantile + Co. at ggmercantileco.com.
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